This conversation took place in the visitors locker room at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, not long after the Giants dropped their third consecutive game, this one a frustrating 26-18 loss to the Steelers.
Daniel Jones approached his right tackle, Jermaine Eluemunor, and informed him what he was going to tell the media at the postgame press conference that would take place in just a few minutes. Eluemunor was not happy to hear what Jones had to say.
“He told me he was going to do it and I was like, ‘Please don’t, I don’t need you to go through that,’’’ Eluemunor told The Post on Wednesday after practice. “I told him, ‘I don’t need you to defend me. I can defend myself.’’’
Jones did not take his advice. He went up behind the lectern and explained that it was him and not Eluemunor at fault for the T.J. Watt strip-sack/fumble/turnover that cost the Giants a shot at pulling even with 2:59 remaining. It sure looked as if Watt cleanly beat his man and raced in to level Jones. That did happen, but only because Jones was so busy trying to dissect the coverage that he forgot to alert rookie tight end Theo Johnson to go in motion and put a chip-block on Watt, essentially double-teaming one of the league’s most lethal pass rushers. Johnson never got the alert, Eluemunor never got the help and Jones never had a chance.
Jones was not going to allow Eluemunor to take the heat for a play that the quarterback messed up.
“I already love DJ, but I appreciate that for sure,’’ Eluemunor said. “But it’s my job to protect him so I’m not gonna let him take any unnecessary heat for no reason.’’
It once felt as if this sort of affinity characterized the relationship Jones had with his head coach, Brian Daboll. That is no longer the feeling. Sure, Daboll often says he is proud of Jones when the level of play is satisfactory and Daboll never fails to laud Jones for his work ethic, commitment and caring. But the success they shared back in 2022 seems like a long time ago and this season, which continues Sunday against the first-place Commanders at MetLife Stadium, has mostly been a weekly referendum for the Giants needing to find a new quarterback for 2025.
Jones did not appreciate getting pulled from the game early in the fourth quarter of the 28-3 blowout loss to the Eagles. Daboll almost sounded wishful when praising Jones for blowing up and showing his disgust in Pittsburgh when a two-point conversion attempt was botched because players were not set and thus were not ready to block.
Daboll called Jones “usually pretty levelheaded’’ and insisted he does not want him to remove himself from his comfort zone.
“No, I want him to be him,’’ Daboll said. “But I don’t mind emotion.’’
Jones did not sound particularly impressed with that.
“I try to do a good job controlling myself and controlling my emotions,’’ he said.
Why does he try to control his emotions?
“You think better, you play better,’’ Jones said. “And there’s a time and a place for everything. But yeah, I found I’m able to play my best, think my best, prepare my best when I’m in control.’’
If Daboll wants more charisma, more machismo from Jones, he is not going to get it. Jones bristled a bit when the idea was floated to him that the head coach wants to see more fire from his starting quarterback.
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“I’ve always played really hard,’’ Jones said. “I’ve always played tough. I’ve played with an edge. I believe in that strongly, and that’s something I always do every time I step on the field. How I show that, how much I yell, I don’t think that’s directly correlated with that. I always play with an edge and play with a chip. And there’s a time and place to maybe show some of that. But it doesn’t change how hard I play, or it doesn’t change my edge at all.’’
It was interesting that Daboll after the loss to the Steelers revealed it was a Jones mental gaffe that led to the strip sack. There are plenty of postgame sessions when Daboll will not get into specifics as to who messed up a particular play. Jones said he had no problem with this because the two discussed it before meeting with the media.
“Had a conversation with him, and I knew what I was going to say,’’ Jones said. “So, understood him saying that. And Jermaine was expecting help, he didn’t get it. So, yeah, I’m fine with everybody knowing that.’’
Eluemunor preferred to tell everyone it was all his fault and he did admit he should have been quicker in realizing the chip from Johnson was not coming and done more to “make it dirty’’ for Watt on his assault on the pocket.
“DJ has already been under enough scrutiny in this place,’’ Eluemunor said, “and I don’t want him to have to take any of that.’’
There is no amount of protection that can keep Jones from the slings and arrows that come with losing.
